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Overview
Illinois State Senator Rickey Hendon, an African American senator from Chicago's blighted West Side, was a veteran politico firmly aligned with other Black leaders when the man who would go on to become 2008's golden presidential hopeful was an upstart in one the most notoriously segregated cities in the nation. This newcomer was of a different stock than Chicago's old guard, which boasted icons such as Rev. Jesse Jackson, late Mayor Harold Washington and Minister Louis Farrakhan, and was initially eyed with some suspicion, even by Hendon himself as the two served side-by-side in the Illinois State Senate. In this book, Hendon follows President Obama's entire campaign in a journal-like fashion while offering observations, insights, inside information, and personal anecdotes of his long history with Barack Obama.
"This 2008 presidential race has been hot, inclusive, divisive, challenging, engaging, and will be studied for years to come. This book gives a first hand account to this history from day one with a direct perspective from Senator Rickey Hendon, who has witnessed the Barack rise. A new chapter in American politics has come about, as well as a new chapter in race relations. But the fundamental question throughout the race that started in Springfield, Illinois on February 10, 2007, has been and continues to be, Black enough, white enough? This is Barack Obama's dilemma, and he will answer it for years to come, by example. Win or lose." - Hermene D. Hartman, Publisher N'DIGO
Synopsis
Illinois State Senator Rickey Hendon, an African American senator from Chicago's blighted West Side, was a veteran politico firmly aligned with other Black leaders when the man who would go on to become 2008's golden presidential hopeful was an upstart in one the most notoriously segregated cities in the nation. This newcomer was of a different stock than Chicago's old guard, which boasted icons such as Rev. Jesse Jackson, late Mayor Harold Washington and Minister Louis Farrakhan, and was initially eyed with some suspicion, even by Hendon himself as the two served side-by-side in the Illinois State Senate. In this book, Hendon follows President Obama's entire campaign in a journal-like fashion while offering observations, insights, inside information, and personal anecdotes of his long history with Barack Obama.
"This 2008 presidential race has been hot, inclusive, divisive, challenging, engaging, and will be studied for years to come. This book gives a first hand account to this history from day one with a direct perspective from Senator Rickey Hendon, who has witnessed the Barack rise. A new chapter in American politics has come about, as well as a new chapter in race relations. But the fundamental question throughout the race that started in Springfield, Illinois on February 10, 2007, has been and continues to be, Black enough, white enough? This is Barack Obama's dilemma, and he will answer it for years to come, by example. Win or lose." - Hermene D. Hartman, Publisher N'DIGO